Stop $600 Million in Foster Care Cuts - Action Needed Immediately
On
Wednesday, February 1st,
Congress will vote on the budget reconciliation bill, which may
cut $600 million in foster care and other pro-family programs.
These cuts include funding for programs that children and families depend on,
including Medicaid, child support enforcement, and student
assistance.
These children are defenseless
against political whims, and this is our last opportunity to
protect America's children.
Title IV-E Foster Care is a vital
safety net for America's children. This financing is used for
programs that ensure children receive the care they need, and to
assist children who have been abused or neglected. Furthermore,
programs designed to intervene before at risk children are forced
to enter the foster care system will be severely impacted.
The true cost of these cuts will be in the lives of children
- those who are already the most vulnerable. Those children will suffer from the lack of safe, nurturing foster care simply because relatives and others who love them can no longer afford to care for them. Those children may be separated from
loved ones, important programs will be damaged, and children with special needs wonÂ’t receive appropriate treatment.
This vote will be extremely
close and this is the last opportunity to tell your
Representative in Congress
not to desert America's children.
Dear Rep. [Your Congressional Representative],
As your constituent and as a concerned citizen, I urge you to oppose the budget reconciliation bill as long as it includes cuts to federal foster care funding. The massive cuts in the Senate-approved version of the bill are cruel and threaten the ability of our nation’s foster care system to continue to provide children with the care they need.
The bill must represent our country’s concerns and priorities regarding child safety and well-being. The current reconciliation bill contains more than $600 million in cuts to federal foster care programs. The bill would slash funding for programs that support children being cared for by grandparents and other relatives, impose inflexible eligibility requirements for federal aid that would deny aid to many children in need, and damage programs that are designed to support children in hospitals and juvenile facilities. Such provisions are short-sighted and will have disastrous consequences for children, families, and our future.
Please support our state’s and our nation’s children and families by opposing the budget reconciliation bill until the cuts to foster care funding are removed. I look forward to your leadership and action on this important issue.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
